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Problem: For some time now I have had
a strange red, dry irritation, along the edge of my mouth.
Moisturizers don't seem to help.
Solutions: One of the first things you
can do is determine whether you've developed an allergic
reaction to fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride can cause irritation
around the mouth. Try a fluoride-free toothpaste for a
while and see what happens. If fluoride-free toothpaste
is the solution, check with your dentist to see how this
will affect your dental health.
The dryness and irritation around your mouth could also
be caused by a significant other who happens to have a
rough beard. There isn't much you can do about that, but
occasionally using a little cortisone cream around the
area can help keep irritation to a minimum. Another possibility
is frequent licking of the lips. Saliva can be an irritant
for lips, causing flaking and dryness. Lip balm won't
be able to keep up with this bad habit.
If the area around the mouth is dry and irritated, that
can also affect the lips. What's important here is to
treat the root of the problem, which in this situation
may require an emollient moisturizer used around the edge
of the mouth as well as a lip exfoliant and lip balm for
the lip area.
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